Cable

Your Cable Company is Raising Your Prices Through Hidden Fees

Hidden Fees
The surcharges quietly inflating your cable bill

A Consumer Reports analysis found cable companies add about $37 a month in unadvertised fees — roughly 24% on top of the average bill. Here is what is hiding in the fine print, and what you can do about it.

1 Hidden Fees Are Everywhere

What do airlines, hotel resorts and cable companies have in common? Lots of hidden fees. What the companies advertise to consumers and what customers actually end up paying can be very different.

2 What Consumer Reports Found

A new Consumer Reports analysis found that cable companies add approximately $37 per month in unadvertised fees on a consumer’s bill. That adds about 24% to the average price of a consumer’s bill.

The report looked at 787 cable bills from 13 companies including Comcast, Cox, Altice USA, Verizon FiOS, AT&T U-Verse, Frontier and more. They discovered that, while the average bill was $156.71 per month, consumers paid an astonishing $217.42. Consumer Reports breaks it down:

  • Premium services – $9.15
  • Company-imposed fees: $37.11
  • Government fees and taxes: $13.28
  • Miscellaneous fees: $1.17

Using just company-imposed fees in the equation, Consumer Reports estimates that nearly $28 billion per year in fees is generated by the cable industry.

3 Confusing, Misleadingly Named Charges

The report also found that an average bill contains more than 13 separate line-item charges which includes the fees noted above, plus line-items for the base package price. Many of the fees are misleadingly named, causing confusion and raising concerns that cable companies are not being transparent about their pricing.

Consumer Reports supports the TRUE Fees Act (Truth-In-Billing, Remedies, and User Empowerment over Fees) introduced by US Rep. Anna Eshoo (D-Calif.) and Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) that would require telecom companies to include all charges in their advertised prices.

4 What You Can Do Right Now

There is something consumers can do right now. Send your bills to Billshark and we will negotiate your monthly rate so that you never overpay again. It takes just a few minutes and there’s absolutely no risk. If we can’t lower your rate, you don’t pay.

Share:
Billshark · Bill Negotiation Experts
Helping consumers and small businesses stop overpaying on recurring bills.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do cable companies add in hidden fees each month?

A Consumer Reports analysis found that cable companies add approximately $37 per month in unadvertised fees on a consumer's bill. That adds about 24% to the average price of a consumer's bill, meaning what a company advertises and what a customer actually pays can be very different.

What did the Consumer Reports analysis examine?

The report looked at 787 cable bills from 13 companies including Comcast, Cox, Altice USA, Verizon FiOS, AT&T U-Verse, Frontier and more. It found that while the average bill was $156.71 per month, consumers actually paid an astonishing $217.42 once all the added charges were counted.

How are the extra charges on a cable bill broken down?

Consumer Reports breaks the added costs into premium services at $9.15, company-imposed fees at $37.11, government fees and taxes at $13.28, and miscellaneous fees at $1.17. Using just company-imposed fees, it estimates the cable industry generates nearly $28 billion per year in fees.

Why are cable bills so confusing to read?

The report found that an average bill contains more than 13 separate line-item charges, including the added fees plus line-items for the base package price. Many of the fees are misleadingly named, causing confusion and raising concerns that cable companies are not being transparent about their pricing.

What is the TRUE Fees Act and what would it do?

The TRUE Fees Act stands for Truth-In-Billing, Remedies, and User Empowerment over Fees. It was introduced by US Rep. Anna Eshoo (D-Calif.) and Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) and is supported by Consumer Reports. The bill would require telecom companies to include all charges in their advertised prices.

Save on the Bills You Just Read About

Billshark negotiates your bills for you — no savings, no fee.

Estimate My Savings

Article summary.

Article: Your Cable Company is Raising Your Prices Through Hidden Fees.

Topic: Cable hidden fees add roughly $37 a month and about 24%.

Section: Table of Contents.

Section: 1 Hidden Fees Are Everywhere.

Section: 2 What Consumer Reports Found.

Section: 3 Confusing, Misleadingly Named Charges.

Section: 4 What You Can Do Right Now.

Easy notes.

  • This page covers your cable company is raising.
  • Read one short part at a time.
  • Start with the main point.
  • Take one clear step next.
  • Use the short list first.
  • Use the short headings in order.

Article details.

A Consumer Reports analysis found cable companies add about $37 a month in unadvertised fees —.

What do airlines , hotel resorts and cable companies have in common? Lots of hidden fees.

A new Consumer Reports analysis found that cable companies add approximately $37 per month in unadvertised.

The report looked at 787 cable bills from 13 companies including Comcast, Cox, Altice USA, Verizon.

Using just company-imposed fees in the equation, Consumer Reports estimates that nearly $28 billion per year.

The report also found that an average bill contains more than 13 separate line-item charges.

Consumer Reports supports the TRUE Fees Act (Truth-In-Billing, Remedies, and User Empowerment over Fees) introduced.

There is something consumers can do right now. Send your bills to Billshark and.

A Consumer Reports analysis found that cable companies add approximately $37 per month in unadvertised fees.

Consumer Reports breaks the added costs into premium services at $9.15, company-imposed fees at $37.11, government.

The report found that an average bill contains more than 13 separate line-item charges, including.

This Billshark blog page focuses on cable hidden fees add roughly $37 a month and about.

Readers can use Billshark articles to compare service costs, understand billing trends, and discover practical ways.

Each blog page is part of Billshark's larger money-saving library, which includes provider comparisons, cancellation guides.

These articles are designed to help readers make better decisions about subscriptions, telecom services, recurring monthly.

Quick takeaways.

  • Section: Frequently Asked Questions.
  • Section: How much do cable companies add in hidden fees each month?.
  • Section: What did the Consumer Reports analysis examine?.
  • Section: How are the extra charges on a cable bill broken down?.
  • Section: Why are cable bills so confusing to read?.
  • Section: What is the TRUE Fees Act and what would it do?.
  • Section: Why Cable Rates Keep Rising and How to Fight Back.
  • Section: Hidden Fees Hurt: How to Spot and Avoid Extra Costs.
  • Section: AT&T Hidden Fee Lawsuit | Billshark.
  • Detail: A Consumer Reports analysis found cable companies add about $37 a month in unadvertised fees —.
  • Detail: What do airlines , hotel resorts and cable companies have in common?.
  • Detail: A new Consumer Reports analysis found that cable companies add approximately $37 per month in unadvertised.
  • Detail: The report looked at 787 cable bills from 13 companies including Comcast.
  • Detail: Using just company-imposed fees in the equation.
  • Detail: The report also found that an average bill contains more than 13 separate line-item charges.
  • Detail: Consumer Reports supports the TRUE Fees Act (Truth-In-Billing.
  • Detail: There is something consumers can do right now.
  • Detail: A Consumer Reports analysis found that cable companies add approximately $37 per month in unadvertised fees.
  • Detail: Consumer Reports breaks the added costs into premium services at $9.15.
  • Detail: The report found that an average bill contains more than 13 separate line-item charges.
  • Detail: The TRUE Fees Act stands for Truth-In-Billing, Remedies, and User Empowerment over Fees.
  • Detail: Billshark negotiates your bills for you — no savings, no fee.
  • Key point: Your Cable Company Is Raising Your Prices Through Hidden Fees.
  • Key point: Hidden Fees Are Everywhere.
  • Key point: What Consumer Reports Found.
  • Key point: Confusing, Misleadingly Named Charges.
  • Key point: What You Can Do Right Now.
  • Key point: Premium services – $9.15.
  • Key point: Company-imposed fees: $37.11.
  • Key point: Government fees and taxes: $13.28.

Questions and answers.

How much do cable companies add in hidden fees each month?

A Consumer Reports analysis found that cable companies add approximately $37 per month in unadvertised fees.

That adds about 24% to the average price of a consumer's bill, meaning what a company.

What did the Consumer Reports analysis examine?

The report looked at 787 cable bills from 13 companies including Comcast, Cox, Altice USA, Verizon.

It found that while the average bill was $156.71 per month, consumers actually paid an astonishing.

How are the extra charges on a cable bill broken down?

Consumer Reports breaks the added costs into premium services at $9.15, company-imposed fees at $37.11, government.

Using just company-imposed fees, it estimates the cable industry generates nearly $28 billion per year.

Why are cable bills so confusing to read?

The report found that an average bill contains more than 13 separate line-item charges, including.

Many of the fees are misleadingly named, causing confusion and raising concerns that cable companies.

What is the TRUE Fees Act and what would it do?

The TRUE Fees Act stands for Truth-In-Billing, Remedies, and User Empowerment over Fees.

It was introduced by US Rep. Anna Eshoo (D-Calif.) and Sen.

Ed Markey (D-Mass.) and is supported by Consumer Reports.

The bill would require telecom companies to include all charges in their advertised prices.

just hired Billshark to lower their bill.